


5 Unlikely Friendships: Touya Akira

by stillskies



Series: Let's 5! [2]
Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-25
Updated: 2012-05-25
Packaged: 2017-11-06 00:42:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/412821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillskies/pseuds/stillskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five unlikely friendships that Touya Akira makes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nase Asumi

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the DW comm hikarunogo's annual "Let's 5!" meme.

He notices her as soon as he enters Shindou's apartment - she is sitting on the couch, laughing and shoving Waya-san with her free hand. She looks up and meets his eye and smiles, leaving the group of former-insei and heading to where he is standing awkwardly by the table.

"So," she says cheerfully, "you're Touya Akira."

"Ah, yes," he says uncertainly. Shindou is nowhere to be seen, which doesn't entirely surprise Akira - Shindou always somehow manages to vanish at these parties, saying that Akira needs to socialize, _god_ \- so he smiles. "I'm afraid that I don't know you're name."

"Nase," she says. "Come over here, Touya-kun. We were talking about Shindou and Waya's game."

Waya is glaring, and Nase elbows him. There is something about the way she smiles that reminds him of Ichikawa-san. Somehow, the comparison is comforting. He sits next to Nase and listens as Nase tells Waya _everything he's ever done wrong_ on the goban. 

By the time she's done listing all of Waya's faults, the party has thinned out and Shindou has reappeared. "What's going on?" Shindou asks, looking at Akira, who is trying in vain not to grin, and Waya, who looks like he would drown himself in Shindou's couch if it were possible. 

"We were just talking about your game with Waya," Nase replies nonchalantly. "Which reminds me, what was that move at the beginning of yose? Were you _trying_ to lose?"

"Hey! It was a brilliant move!" Shindou argues, clearing a spot on the coffee table and sitting down. Akira shoots him a disapproving look, but Shindou ignores it.

"Brilliant?" Nase snorts. "Back me up here, Touya-kun."

"That move was idiotic," Akira agrees. "Not even a 20-kyu would make that mistake."

Shindou glares and Nase laughs. "Even Touya-kun agrees," Nase says and stands. "As much fun as it is to needle you, I've got class in the morning."

Waya, who has been quiet for the last fifteen minutes, stands as well. "I'll walk you to the station, Nase."

"You coming, Touya-kun?" 

Akira shakes his head. Shindou drops onto the couch and grins. "Naw, he's staying here."

Nase gives them a _look_ and Akira can feel his face heating up. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Touya-kun," she says. "What's your mail? We should get coffee sometime."

"Nase," Waya hisses, "what are you _doing_?"

She rolls her eyes and waits patiently as Akira stares. Finally, he gives her his e-mail address and she smiles. "I'll e-mail you tomorrow," she promises, and then her and Waya are out the door.


	2. Ochi's Grandfather

When Ochi-san leads him into the parlor, Akira isn't surprised to see tea laid out. Ochi-kun is nowhere in sight, so Akira sits and let's Ochi-san pour him a cup of tea.

"I apologize for Kousuke's behavior," Ochi-san says. "The pressure has been getting to him lately."

Akira doesn't say anything; he knows how stressful the pro exam can be without the added pressure Akira has been laying on him. He doesn't understand how Ochi-kun can simply write Shindou off as insignificant. If Ochi-kun is to pass undefeated, Akira needs him to _focus_.

When it becomes clear that Ochi-kun isn't going to appear, Ochi-san sighs. Akira is about to stand up when the older man smiles. "It seems my grandson is going to be stubborn. I would hate to have you come all of this way for nothing," he says. "It's been a while since I've played with a pro, but the least I could do is offer you a game."

Akira nods. "If you're sure."

"Of course."


	3. Tsujioka Tadao

Tsujioka-san smiles easily for the camera. It doesn't look forced or fake or anything at _all_ like Akira's smile. The Akira in the picture looks pinched and he is squinting, like the sun is too bright. Except that it was overcast when they took his picture.

"Not very flattering, huh?" Tsujioka-san says quietly. "I think I was in shock."

Akira scowls at the paper, but doesn't say anything. Tsujioka-san takes the seat next to him and places a can of cold green tea in front of him. Akira turns to look at him, confused.

"You looked like you could use it," he explains, taking a sip of his coffee. 

"Thank you," Akira replies uncertainly. He thinks that this is the first time anyone has bought him something sporadically. Well, except for Ashiwara-san, but Ashiwara-san is like an older brother, so Akira isn't even sure if he counts.

"No problem," Tsujioka-san says easily.


	4. Morishita Kazuo

When Akira was young, Morishita-sensei would bring his son with him when he came to visit. He had heard Morishita-sensei tell Akira's father that he hoped some of Akira's enthusiasm would rub off on Kazuo-san, but Kazuo-san was only ever politely interested in go.

Sometimes, he would see Kazuo-san on the street, and he would stop and politely chat. Kazuo-san, though disinterested in go, wasn't uninformed, and would congratulate Akira on his wins. So, when Akira sees Kazuo-san at the bookstore, looking at English dictionaries, Akira says hello.

"Akira-kun!" Kazuo-san says, putting down one of the dictionaries. "How have you been?"

"I've been well," Akira replies. "And you?"

"Trying to keep afloat in English," he says with a sigh and looks down at the dictionary in his hand. 

Akira looks at the shelf and picks one up. "This is a good one," he says, hoping he's not stepping over some line.

Kazuo-san grins and takes it. "Good enough," he replies. "So, what brings you here?"

He suddenly remembers why he's at the bookstore and scowls. "I was looking for something to help me with my home economics class." He's pretty sure his teacher thinks him a hopeless case; he would ask Ashiwara-san for help, but somehow that only makes him feel worse.

"Home ec?" Kazuo-san says, surprised. "There really aren't any books for that. What are you having problems with?"

"Everything," he replies miserably. "If it was possible to burn water, I'm sure I could do it."

Kazuo-san laughs. "I could help you, if you want."

"I would hate to impose," Akira says.

"You wouldn't be imposing since I offered," Kazuo-san points out. "When are you free?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Then come over tomorrow night around 5pm. What are you making in class?"

"Chocolate chip cookies," Akira replies. 

Kazuo-san looks like he wants to laugh again, but restrains himself. "Got it. We can feed them to dad's study group."


	5. Kawai-san

He meets Kawai-san when Shindou is falling over drunk after a tournament. Akira is going to call for a cab when Shindou hushes him, pulls out his phone, and calls someone. He only hears half of the conversation: "I won, of course!" and "Need a ride." 

Fifteen minutes later, a man is charging through the entrance of the Ki-in with a huge grin on his face, making a beeline towards Shindou. "You," he says when he's close enough, "just made me a whole lot of yen!"

Shindou rolls his eyes and leans heavily against Akira. "Just take us to my place," Shindou says, and Akira is surprised that the words don't come out in one big jumble. The man just smiles and rubs Shindou's head before turning around.

Akira takes this to mean follow, so he does.

***

Shindou falls asleep as soon as Akira gets him into the cab. The cab driver - because that's clearly what he was, and how did Shindou _know_ all these people? - hops behind the wheel and starts up the car.

"Thank you," Akira says, because Shindou may be drunk and expect the world to pause for him, but Akira has manners. 

The cab driver waves off the apologies. "We'll call it even," he says. "Like I said, I raked in the yen with his win today."

Akira nods, even though he doesn't quite understand. He understands _gambling_ , but he doesn't understand the allure. Clearly, if Shindou hadn't used that insanely brilliant move in the middle of chuuban, then the driver would have lost the money he had placed on Shindou. Shindou, Akira thinks, is _never_ a safe bet.

"Seems like he's better, though," the man says after a moment. "He always gets moody this time of year, but when he didn't call me up for the trip, I got worried." He looks at Akira's reflection in the mirror. "I suppose we've got you to thank for that."

He has no clue what the man is talking about, and soon they are pulling up in front of Shindou's apartment, and the man is telling Akira to come by a go salon.

"Tell 'em Kawai sent you, otherwise they'll never believe me," Kawai-san says as he helps Akira drag Shindou up the stairs and into his apartment. "I'm usually there weeknights. We can play a game."

Akira nods and focuses on getting Shindou onto the couch. "I can take care of him from here, thank you."

Kawai-san grins. "Gotcha." And with that, Kawai-san turns and leaves.


End file.
